This disclosure relates to a reactor vessel and cooled liner.
Reactor vessels, such as carbonaceous fuel gasifiers for producing synthesis gas, typically operate at elevated temperatures. For example, the temperature in a carbonaceous fuel gasifier may be near 3000° F. (1649° C.). The reactor vessel may include an internal liner that protects the reactor vessel from the elevated temperatures, which may be approximately 1200° F. (649° C.) at the liner.
A variety of different types of liners are known. For example, one type of liner includes refractory tiles that insulate the reactor vessel from the high temperatures. However, one drawback of using refractory tiles is that the tiles may become damaged in a relatively short period of time and require replacement, which increases the operating expense of the reactor vessel. Additionally, reactor vessels that utilize refractory tiles may require relatively long warm-up or cool-down periods to avoid thermal shock damage.
Another type of liner includes coolant channels for circulating water to cool the liner. For example, the liner is formed from spaced-apart ceramic panels, with walls between the panels that form the coolant channels. The ceramic panels are secured to the metal reactor vessel or other metal components used with the reactor vessel, such as heat exchanger components. Although effective for cooling and more durable than refractory tiles, a thermal expansion mismatch between the ceramic panels and the metal of the attached reactor vessel or component may be undesired in some reactor vessel designs.